Car of the Year Japan

Annual Car of the Year award

Car of the Year Japan

The annual Car of the Year Japan Award (日本カー・オブ・ザ・イヤー, nihon kā obu za iyā), also known as Japan Car of the Year (or JCOTY), is an annual Car of the Year award given for newly released or redesigned vehicles released in the car buying market in Japan in the twelve months beginning 1 November.

The award has been presented since 1980. The current recipient of the award for 2024 to 2025 is the Honda Freed.[1]

The first non-Japanese car to win the award was the Volkswagen Golf in 2013, followed by the Volvo XC60 in 2017 and the Volvo XC40 in 2018.[2][3][4] The highest-placed car from the United States was the Jeep Cherokee, which was eliminated in the final round in 2014 and was placed eighth.[5] The supervisory board is made up primarily of Japanese automotive journalists.

The award is not associated with the more recent Automotive Researchers’ and Journalists’ Conference (RJC) RJC Car of the Year Award, which has been issued since 1992.

## Recipients

[edit]

Car of the Year Japan Year | Winner | Special Award

|
|

1980-1981 | Mazda Familia |
1981-1982 | Toyota Soarer[6] |
1982-1983 | Mazda Capella/Ford Telstar |
1983-1984 | Honda Civic/Ballade |
1984-1985 | Toyota MR2 |
1985-1986 | Honda Accord/Vigor |
1986-1987 | Nissan Pulsar/EXA/Langley/Liberta Villa |
1987-1988 | Mitsubishi Galant |
1988-1989 | Nissan Silvia |
1989-1990 | Toyota Celsior |
1990-1991 | Mitsubishi Diamante | Toyota Estima
1991-1992 | Honda Civic | Mitsubishi Pajero
1992-1993 | Nissan March | Isuzu Bighorn
1993-1994 | Honda Accord | Toyota Supra
1994-1995 | Mitsubishi FTO | Honda Odyssey
1995-1996 | Honda Civic | Nissan Terrano
1996-1997 | Mitsubishi Galant/Legnum | Mazda Demio
1997-1998 | Toyota Prius | Isuzu VehiCROSS
1998-1999 | Toyota Altezza | Honda Z
1999-2000 | Toyota Vitz/Platz/Fun Cargo | Honda S2000
2000-2001 | Honda Civic/Stream | Subaru Impreza
2001-2002 | Honda Fit | Toyota Estima Hybrid
2002-2003 | Honda Accord | Nissan Fairlady Z (Most Fun)
BMW 7 Series (Most Advanced Technology)
2003-2004 | Subaru Legacy | Mazda RX-8 (Most Fun)
Nissan Teana (Best Value)
Jaguar XJ (Most Advanced Technology)
2004-2005 | Honda Legend | BMW 1 Series (Most Fun)
Mazda Verisa (Best Value)
Honda Legend (Most Advanced Technology)
2005-2006 | Mazda Roadster | Suzuki Swift (Most Fun)
Honda Civic/Civic Hybrid (Most Advanced Technology)
2006-2007 | Lexus LS460 | Audi TT (Most Fun)
Mitsubishi i (Most Advanced Technology)
Honda Stream (Best Value)
2007-2008 | Honda Fit | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (Most Fun)
Volkswagen Golf (Most Advanced Technology)
Daihatsu Mira (Best Value)
2008-2009 | Toyota iQ | Nissan GT-R (Most Advanced Technology)
Subaru Exiga (Most Fun)
Honda Freed (Best Value)
2009-2010 | Toyota Prius | Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Most Advanced Technology)
Nissan Fairlady Z (Most Fun)
Subaru Legacy (Best Value)
Honda Fit (Best Third Decade Car)
2010-2011 | Honda CR-Z | Peugeot RCZ
2011-2012 | Nissan Leaf | Mazda Demio
2012-2013 | Mazda CX-5 | Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ
2013-2014 | Volkswagen Golf | Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (Innovation)
Mazda Atenza (Emotional)
Suzuki Spacia/Mazda Flair Wagon (Small Mobility)
Daihatsu Move Front Lift (Special Award)
2014-2015 | Mazda Demio[7][8] | BMW i3 (Innovation)
Honda N-WGN (Small Mobility)
Toyota’s approach to fuel cell vehicles (Special Award)
2015-2016 | Mazda Roadster | Tesla Model S (Innovation)
Suzuki Alto/Alto Lapin (Small Mobility)
Yanase (Special Award)
Toyota Mirai (Special Award)
2016-2017 | Subaru Impreza | Nissan Serena (Innovation)
BMW M2 (Emotional)
Daihatsu Move Canbus (Small Mobility)
Honda NSX (Special Award)
2017-2018 | Volvo XC60 | Toyota Prius PHV (Innovation)
Lexus LC (Emotional)
Honda N-Box (Small Mobility)
Toyota (Special Award)
Takuma Sato (Special Award)
2018-2019 | Volvo XC40[9] | Honda Clarity PHEV (Innovation)
BMW X2 (Emotional)
Daihatsu Mira Tocot (Small Mobility)
Toyota Gazoo Racing (Special Award)
Honda N-Van (Special Award)
2019-2020 | Toyota RAV4[10] | Nissan Skyline (Innovation)
Jeep Wrangler (Emotional)
Nissan Dayz and Mitsubishi eK X/eK Wagon (Small Mobility)
2020-2021 | Subaru Levorg[11] | Mazda MX-30 (Design)
Audi e-tron Sportback (Technology)
BMW Alpina B3 (Performance)
Nissan Roox and Mitsubishi eK X Space/eK Space (K Car)
2021-2022 | Nissan Note[12] | BMW 4 Series (Design)
Mitsubishi Outlander (Technology)
Chevrolet Corvette (Performance)
Honda N-One (K Car)
Toyota Gazoo Racing (Special Award)
Honda (Special Award)
2022-2023  | Nissan Sakura/Mitsubishi eK X EV | BMW iX (Design)
Nissan X-Trail (Technology)
Honda Civic e:HEV/Type R (Performance)
Nissan Sakura/Mitsubishi eK X EV (K Car)
2023-2024  | Toyota Prius | Mitsubishi Delica Mini (Design)

Nissan Serena (Technology)

2024-2025  | Honda Freed | Mitsubishi Triton (Design)

Honda CR-V e:FCEV (Technology)

Japan Import Car of the Year Year | Winner

|

1994-1995 | Mercedes-Benz C200
1995-1996 | MG F
1996-1997 | Mercedes-Benz SLK
1997-1998 | Renault Mégane Scénic
1998-1999 | Mercedes-Benz A-Class
1999-2000 | Rover 75
2000-2001 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2001-2002 | Alfa Romeo 147
2002-2003 | None
2003-2004 | None
2004-2005 | Volkswagen Golf
2005-2006 | BMW 3 Series
2006-2007 | Citroën C6
2007-2008 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2008-2009 | Citroën C5
2009-2010 | Volkswagen Golf
2010-2011 | Volkswagen Polo
2011-2012 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2012-2013 | BMW 3 Series
2013-2014 | None
2014-2015 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2015-2016 | BMW 2 Series Active Tourer/Gran Tourer
2016-2017 | Audi A4
2017-2018 | None
2018-2019 | None
2019-2020 | BMW 3 Series
2020-2021 | Peugeot 208/e-208
2021-2022 | Volkswagen Golf
2022-2023  | Hyundai Ioniq 5
2023-2024  | BMW X1
2024-2025  | MINI Cooper

## Most wins by manufacturer

[edit]

Total Wins  | Manufacturer

|

12  | Honda
9  | Toyota
6  | Mazda
6  | Nissan
5  | Mitsubishi
2  | Subaru
Volvo
1  | Lexus
Volkswagen
1  | Hyundai

## See also

[edit]

* List of motor vehicle awards

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Nissan Sakura Wins 2022–2023 Japan Car Of The Year Award & Kei Car Of The Year Award". cleantechnica.com. 14 December 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
2. ^ Radu, Mihnea (25 November 2013). "Volkswagen Golf Named Car of the Year in Japan". autoevolution.com. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
3. ^ Kavermann, David (12 December 2017). "Volvo XC60 crowned Japanese Car of the Year". driven.co.nz. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
4. ^ Laurel, Drei (12 December 2018). "The Volvo XC40 is 2018's Japan Car of the Year". topgear.com.ph. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
5. ^ Tragianis, Nick (17 October 2014). "Jeep Cherokee nominated for Car of the Year award ... in Japan". driving.ca. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
6. ^ "TOYOTA SOARER NAMED JAPAN'S "CAR OF THE YEAR"". driving.ca. 23 December 1981. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
7. ^ De Guzman, Marcus (13 October 2014). "All-new Mazda2/Demio wins the Japanese Car of The Year award". Autoindustriya.com. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
8. ^ Turkus, Brandon (14 October 2014). "Mazda2 nets Japan Car of the Year, Cherokee first US model to ever crack top 10 [UPDATE]". autoblog.com. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
9. ^ Bijoux, Niles (11 December 2018). "Volvo takes back-to-back Japanese COTY award". www.autocar.co.nz. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
10. ^ Redfern, John (9 December 2019). "Toyota RAV4 wins 2019 Car of the Year Japan award" (in Thai). www.motoringresearch.com. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
11. ^ Braithwaite-Smith, Gavin (10 December 2020). "Subaru Levorg is Japan's Car of the Year". www.msn.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
12. ^ "Nissan Note e-POWER Series Wins Japan Car of the Year 2021". 14 December 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Website